1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention related generally to database applications and associated analytical processing of business data. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to user interface enhancements and functionality for navigating up and down through successive layers of detail (on-demand drilling) via pop-up menus, for example, and for support of unique comparison operators of layers of detail including, elaborate period queries (e.g., asymmetric period selection) via a single dialog.
2. Description of the Related Art
While vast improvements have been made in relational database management systems (RDBMS) in terms of supporting dimensional data analysis, they still suffer from performance and scalability issues. Today's On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) applications have many limitations in terms of storage efficiency, performance, and usability. Notably, navigating across and within business data categories, subsets, groups, departments, organization-wide, etc. typically requires extensive end-user training and requires leaving one view and creating another. Consequently, existing non-intuitive navigation mechanisms can leave users disoriented and confused wondering where they are within a given hierarchy. Additionally, built-in assumptions regarding underlying data usage and their associated brittle architectures unduly constrain user interaction and manipulation of the data and thereby reduce flexibility in terms of presenting desired views and/or data comparison operations.
In general, it would be desirable to provide users with more flexibility and simplicity in terms of view generation and data manipulations.